Controversial question regarding faith schools Post Reply

[Hyde Ranger]

Everybody is accusing church schools of having discriminatory admissions criteria, but as I think has been pointed out a long way up-thread, these requirements are not admission requirements, but rather the school's over-subscription criteria. An under-subscribed church school can and will admit all-comers, but when a school is over-subscribed (as most of our local schools are) they have to prioritize in some way. Whereas a non-faith school would presumably use distance as a criterion, a faith school would usually be trying to give first dibs to those for whom those schools were originally established, ie those who follow that faith. As a church-goer who doesn't live right next door to a catholic school, I would have been pretty miffed if my children had been denied a catholic education because the places had all gone to people not of that faith but who lived closer! The problem in this area is not faith schools but lack of enough school places generally!

[Chucka]

Yes Hyde Ranger but what is happening is that people who live closer are experiencing sudden conversions / re-versions to faith .

Even if people genuinely want a Church school so their children experience a culture and practise of faith - what the find in fact is a school populated by a significant number of people who have so little principle that they will pretend a religious allegiance and carefully tick the boxes to make sure they meet the admissions criteria.

Additionally - genuine people of faith who live further away may not gain a place as they are usurped by those who beat them on distance. Property prices nearer to the school go up and exclude those less well off.

[firsttimerSW11]

Pray or pay, folks, pray or pay.

[Chucka]

Hi First timer. If we genuinely pray then we will soon know that being truthful and sincere is sometimes difficult but always the best way forward for ourselves and our children. No private school is going to come anywhere near the great plans God has for us - so forget worrying if you don't have the fees for private education or won't lie to get into a so called 'faith' school. I know people who are very ambitious for their children and are for the most part delighted with their children's progress and experience in non faith schools.

I have honestly found it life changing to make some quite time and open up to God. I pray the Our Father and other inheritance prayers. I also like 'UCB word for today' for taking a bible reading one day at a time. Alpha courses are well worth attending and also rather enjoyable. No strings and no charge.

[Tigermum]

If the Church and State were completely separate, would this mean that the State would no longer have to fund religiously based schools (to address the needs of the faithful)?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 84008.html